Apparatuses and methods for data movement

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods for data movement. An example apparatus comprises a memory device. The memory device includes an array of memory cells and sensing circuitry coupled to the array via a plurality of sense lines. The sensing circuitry includes a sense amplifier and a compute component coupled to a sense line and configured to implement operations. A controller in the memory device is configured to couple to the array and sensing circuitry. A shared I/O line in the memory device is configured to couple a source location to a destination location.

PRIORITY INFORMATION

This application is Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/519,783, filed Jul. 23, 2019, which issues as U.S. Pat. No.10,936,235 on Mar. 2, 2021, which is a Divisional of U.S. applicationSer. No. 15/553,920, filed Aug. 25, 2017, which issues as U.S. Pat. No.10,365,851 on Jul. 30, 2019, which is a National Stage Application under35 U.S.C. § 371 of PCT Application No. PCT/US2016/020834, having aninternational filing date of Mar. 4, 2016, which claims priority to U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/132,058, filed Mar. 12, 2015, thecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in theirentireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to semiconductor memory andmethods, and more particularly, to apparatuses and methods for datamovement.

BACKGROUND

Memory devices are typically provided as internal, semiconductor,integrated circuits in computers or other electronic systems. There aremany different types of memory including volatile and non-volatilememory. Volatile memory can require power to maintain its data (e.g.,host data, error data, etc.) and includes random access memory (RAM),dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM),synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), and thyristor randomaccess memory (TRAM), among others. Non-volatile memory can providepersistent data by retaining stored data when not powered and caninclude NAND flash memory, NOR flash memory, and resistance variablememory such as phase change random access memory (PCRAM), resistiverandom access memory (RRAM), and magnetoresistive random access memory(MRAM), such as spin torque transfer random access memory (STT RAM),among others.

Electronic systems often include a number of processing resources (e.g.,one or more processors), which may retrieve and execute instructions andstore the results of the executed instructions to a suitable location. Aprocessor can comprise a number of functional units such as arithmeticlogic unit (ALU) circuitry, floating point unit (FPU) circuitry, and acombinatorial logic block, for example, which can be used to executeinstructions by performing logical operations such as AND, OR, NOT,NAND, NOR, and XOR, and invert (e.g., inversion) logical operations ondata (e.g., one or more operands). For example, functional unitcircuitry may be used to perform arithmetic operations such as addition,subtraction, multiplication, and division on operands via a number ofoperations.

A number of components in an electronic system may be involved inproviding instructions to the functional unit circuitry for execution.The instructions may be executed, for instance, by a processing resourcesuch as a controller and host processor. Data (e.g., the operands onwhich the instructions will be executed) may be stored in a memory arraythat is accessible by the functional unit circuitry. The instructionsand data may be retrieved from the memory array and sequenced andbuffered before the functional unit circuitry begins to executeinstructions on the data. Furthermore, as different types of operationsmay be executed in one or multiple clock cycles through the functionalunit circuitry, intermediate results of the instructions and data mayalso be sequenced and buffered.

In many instances, the processing resources (e.g., processor andassociated functional unit circuitry) may be external to the memoryarray, and data is accessed via a bus between the processing resourcesand the memory array to execute a set of instructions. Processingperformance may be improved in a processor-in-memory device, in which aprocessor may be implemented internal and near to a memory (e.g.,directly on a same chip as the memory array). A processing-in-memorydevice may save time by reducing and eliminating external communicationsand may also conserve power. However, data movement between and withinbanks of a processing-in-memory device may influence the data processingtime of the processing-in-memory device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an apparatus in the form of a computingsystem including a memory device in accordance with a number ofembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1B is a block diagram of a bank section to a memory device inaccordance with a number of embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1C is a block diagram of a bank to a memory device in accordancewith a number of embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating sensing circuitry to a memorydevice in accordance with a number of embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating circuitry for data movementto a memory device in accordance with a number of embodiments of thepresent disclosure.

FIGS. 4A-4B is another schematic diagram illustrating circuitry for datamovement to a memory device in accordance with a number of embodimentsof the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates a timing diagram associated with performing a numberof data movement operations using circuitry in accordance with a numberof embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods for datamovement, e.g., for processor-in-memory (PIM) structures, among otherconfigurations described herein or otherwise. In at least oneembodiment, the apparatus includes a memory device configured to coupleto a host via a data bus and a control bus. A bank in the memory deviceincludes an array of memory cells and sensing circuitry, e.g., formed onpitch with memory cells of the array, coupled to the array via aplurality of sense lines. The sensing circuitry includes a senseamplifier and a compute component coupled to a sense line and configuredto implement operations. A controller in the memory device is configuredto couple to the array and sensing circuitry. A shared I/O line in thememory device is configured to couple a source location to a destinationlocation, e.g., between a pair of bank locations.

As described in more detail below, the embodiments can allow a hostsystem to allocate a number of locations, e.g., sub-arrays (or“subarrays”) and portions of subarrays, in one or more DRAM banks tohold (e.g., store) data. A host system and a controller may perform theaddress resolution on an entire block of program instructions, e.g., PIMcommand instructions, and data and direct (e.g., control) allocation andstorage of data and commands into allocated locations, e.g., subarraysand portions of subarrays within a destination (e.g., target) bank.Writing data and commands may utilize a normal DRAM write path to theDRAM device. As the reader will appreciate, while a DRAM-style PIMdevice is discussed with regard to examples presented herein,embodiments are not limited to a PIM DRAM implementation.

Data movement between and within PIM banks, e.g., subarrays and portionsof subarrays therein, may affect whether PIM operations are completed(performed) efficiently. Accordingly, the present disclosure presentsstructures and processes that can increase a speed, rate, and efficiencyof data movement in a PIM array by using an improved data path, e.g., ashared I/O line of a DRAM implementation, as described herein.

In previous approaches, data may be transferred from the array andsensing circuitry (e.g., via a bus comprising input/output (I/O) lines)to a processing resource external to the memory array, such as aprocessor, microprocessor, and/or compute engine that may be located ona host, which may comprise ALU circuitry and other functional unitcircuitry configured to perform the appropriate operations. However,transferring data from a memory array and sensing circuitry to suchprocessing resource(s) can involve significant power consumption. Evenif the processing resource is located on a same chip as the memoryarray, significant power can be consumed in moving data out of the arrayto the compute circuitry, which can involve performing a sense line(which may be referred to herein as a digit line or data line) addressaccess (e.g., firing of a column decode 152 signal) in order to transferdata from sense lines onto I/O lines (e.g., local and global I/O lines),moving the data to a periphery of the memory array, and providing thedata to the compute function.

Furthermore, the circuitry of the processing resource(s) (e.g., acompute engine) may not conform to pitch rules associated with a memoryarray. For example, the cells of a memory array may have a 4F² or 6F²cell size, where “F” is a feature size corresponding to the cells. Assuch, the devices (e.g., logic gates) associated with ALU circuitry ofprevious PIM systems may not be capable of being formed on pitch withthe memory cells, which can affect chip size and memory density, forexample.

For example, the sensing circuitry 150 described herein can be formed ona same pitch as a pair of complementary sense lines. As an example, apair of complementary memory cells may have a cell size with a 6F² pitch(e.g., 3F×2F). If the pitch of a pair of complementary sense lines forthe complementary memory cells is 3F, then the sensing circuitry beingon pitch indicates the sensing circuitry (e.g., a sense amplifier andcorresponding compute component per respective pair of complementarysense lines) is formed to fit within the 3F pitch of the complementarysense lines.

Furthermore, the circuitry of the processing resource(s) (e.g., acompute engine, such as an ALU) of various prior systems may not conformto pitch rules associated with a memory array. For example, the memorycells of a memory array may have a 4F² or 6F² cell size. As such, thedevices (e.g., logic gates) associated with ALU circuitry of previoussystems may not be capable of being formed on pitch with the memorycells (e.g., on a same pitch as the sense lines), which can affect chipsize and/or memory density, for example. In the context of somecomputing systems and subsystems (e.g., a central processing unit(CPU)), data may be processed in a location that is not on pitch and/oron chip with memory (e.g., memory cells in the array), as describedherein. The data may be processed by a processing resource associatedwith a host, for instance, rather than on pitch with the memory.

In contrast, a number of embodiments of the present disclosure caninclude the sensing circuitry 150 (e.g., including sense amplifiers 206and/or compute components 231) and/or logic circuitry (e.g., 170, 213,and/or 560) being formed on pitch with the memory cells of the array.The sensing circuitry and/or logic circuitry can be configured for(e.g., capable of) performing compute functions (e.g., logicaloperations).

PIM capable device operations can use bit vector based operations. Asused herein, the term “bit vector” is intended to mean a physicallycontiguous number of bits on a bit vector memory device (e.g., a PIMdevice) stored physically contiguous in a row of an array of memorycells. Thus, as used herein a “bit vector operation” is intended to meanan operation that is performed on a bit vector that is a contiguousportion of virtual address space (e.g., used by a PIM device). Forexample, a row of virtual address space in the PIM device may have a bitlength of 16K bits (e.g., corresponding to 16K complementary pairs ofmemory cells in a DRAM configuration). Sensing circuitry 150, asdescribed herein, for such a 16K bit row may include a corresponding 16Kprocessing elements (e.g., compute components, as described herein)formed on pitch with the sense lines selectably coupled to correspondingmemory cells in the 16 bit row. A compute component in the PIM devicemay operate as a one bit processing element on a single bit of the bitvector of the row of memory cells sensed by the sensing circuitry 150(e.g., sensed by and/or stored in a sense amplifier paired with thecompute component, as described herein).

A number of embodiments of the present disclosure include sensingcircuitry (e.g., sense amplifiers 206) and compute circuitry (e.g.,compute components 231) formed on pitch with sense lines of an array ofmemory cells. The sensing circuitry and compute circuitry are capable ofperforming data sensing and compute functions and storage, e.g.,caching, of data local to the array of memory cells.

In order to appreciate the improved data movement techniques describedherein, a discussion of an apparatus for implementing such techniques,e.g., a memory device having PIM capabilities and associated host,follows. According to various embodiments, program instructions, e.g.,PIM commands, involving a memory device having PIM capabilities candistribute implementation of the PIM commands and data over multiplesensing circuitries that can implement operations and can move and storethe PIM commands and data within the memory array, e.g., without havingto transfer such back and forth over an A/C and data bus between a hostand the memory device. Thus, data for a memory device having PIMcapabilities can be accessed and used in less time and using less power.For example, a time and power advantage can be realized by increasingthe speed, rate, and efficiency of data being moved around and stored ina computing system in order to process requested memory array operations(e.g., reads, writes, etc.).

In the following detailed description of the present disclosure,reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof,and in which is shown by way of illustration how one or more embodimentsof the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described insufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art topractice the embodiments of this disclosure, and it is to be understoodthat other embodiments may be utilized and that process, electrical, andstructural changes may be made without departing from the scope of thepresent disclosure.

As used herein, designators such as “X”, “Y”, “N”, “M”, etc.,particularly with respect to reference numerals in the drawings,indicate that a number of the particular feature so designated can beincluded. It is also to be understood that the terminology used hereinis for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is notintended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”,and “the” include singular and plural referents, unless the contextclearly dictates otherwise, as do “a number of”, “at least one”, and“one or more” (e.g., a number of memory arrays can refer to one or morememory arrays), whereas a “plurality of” is intended to refer to morethan one of such things. Furthermore, the words “can” and “may” are usedthroughout this application in a permissive sense (i.e., having thepotential to, being able to), not in a mandatory sense (i.e., must). Theterm “include,” and derivations thereof, means “including, but notlimited to”. The terms “coupled” and “coupling” mean to be directly orindirectly connected physically or for access to and movement(transmission) of instructions (e.g., control signals) and data, asappropriate to the context.

The figures herein follow a numbering convention in which the firstdigit or digits correspond to the figure number and the remaining digitsidentify an element or component in the figure. Similar elements orcomponents between different figures may be identified by the use ofsimilar digits. For example, 108 may reference element “08” in FIG. 1 ,and a similar element may be referenced as 208 in FIG. 2 . As will beappreciated, elements shown in the various embodiments herein can beadded, exchanged, and eliminated so as to provide a number of additionalembodiments of the present disclosure. In addition, the proportion andthe relative scale of the elements provided in the figures are intendedto illustrate certain embodiments of the present disclosure and shouldnot be taken in a limiting sense.

FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an apparatus in the form of a computingsystem 100 including a memory device 120 in accordance with a number ofembodiments of the present disclosure. As used herein, a memory device120, controller 140, channel controller 143, memory array 130, sensingcircuitry 150, including sensing amplifiers (e.g., sense amplifier 206as shown in and described in connection with FIG. 2 and at correspondingreference numbers in FIGS. 3 and 4A-4B) and compute circuitry (e.g.,compute component 231 as shown in and described in connection with FIG.2 and at corresponding reference numbers in FIGS. 3 and 4A-4B), andperipheral sense amplifier and logic 170 might each also be separatelyconsidered an “apparatus.”

The system 100 can include a host 110 coupled (e.g., connected) tomemory device 120, which includes the memory array 130. Host 110 can bea host system such as a personal laptop computer, a desktop computer, atablet computer, a digital camera, a smart phone, or a memory cardreader, among various other types of hosts. Host 110 can include asystem motherboard and backplane and can include a number of processingresources (e.g., one or more processors, microprocessors, or some othertype of controlling circuitry). The system 100 can include separateintegrated circuits or both the host 110 and the memory device 120 canbe on the same integrated circuit. The system 100 can be, for instance,a server system and a high performance computing (HPC) system and aportion thereof. Although the example shown in FIG. 1A illustrates asystem having a Von Neumann architecture, embodiments of the presentdisclosure can be implemented in non-Von Neumann architectures, whichmay not include one or more components (e.g., CPU, ALU, etc.) oftenassociated with a Von Neumann architecture.

For clarity, description of the system 100 has been simplified to focuson features with particular relevance to the present disclosure. Forexample, in various embodiments, the memory array 130 can be a DRAMarray, SRAM array, STT RAM array, PCRAM array, TRAM array, RRAM array,NAND flash array, and NOR flash array, for instance. The memory array130 can include memory cells arranged in rows coupled by access lines(which may be referred to herein as word lines or select lines) andcolumns coupled by sense lines (which may be referred to herein as datalines or digit lines). Although a single memory array 130 is shown inFIG. 1A, embodiments are not so limited. For instance, memory device 120may include a number of memory arrays 130 (e.g., a number of banks ofDRAM cells, NAND flash cells, etc.) in addition to a number subarrays,as described herein. Accordingly, descriptions in the present disclosuremay be made with regard to PIM and/or DRAM architectures by way ofexample and/or clarity. However, unless explicitly stated otherwise, thescope of the present disclosure and claims is not limited to PIM and/orDRAM architectures.

The memory device 120 can include address circuitry 142 to latch addresssignals provided over a data bus 156 (e.g., an I/O bus from the host110) by I/O circuitry 144 (e.g., provided to external ALU circuitry andto DRAM DQs via local I/O lines and global I/O lines). Status andexception information can be provided from the controller 140 on thememory device 120 to a channel controller 143, for example, through ahigh speed interface (HSI) out-of-band bus 157, which in turn can beprovided from the channel controller 143 to the host 110. Addresssignals are received through address circuitry 142 and decoded by a rowdecoder 146 and a column decoder 152 to access the memory array 130.Data can be sensed (read) from memory array 130 by sensing voltage andcurrent changes on sense lines (digit lines) using a number of senseamplifiers, as described herein, of the sensing circuitry 150. A senseamplifier can read and latch a page (e.g., a row) of data from thememory array 130. Additional compute circuitry, as described herein, canbe coupled to the sensing circuitry 150 and can be used in combinationwith the sense amplifiers to sense, store, e.g., cache and buffer, andmove data. The I/O circuitry 144 can be used for bi-directional datacommunication with host 110 over the data bus 156 (e.g., a 64 bit widedata bus). The write circuitry 148 can be used to write data to thememory array 130.

Controller 140, e.g., bank control logic and sequencer, can decodesignals (e.g., commands) provided by control bus 154 from the host 110.The controller 140 can control operations by issuing control signalsdetermined from the decoded commands from the host 110. These signalscan include chip enable signals, write enable signals, and address latchsignals that can be used to control operations performed on the memoryarray 130, including data sense, data store, data move, data write, anddata erase operations, among other operations. In various embodiments,the controller 140 can be responsible for executing instructions fromthe host 110 and accessing the memory array 130. The control signals maybe executed by processing resources external to and/or internal to amemory array 130 (e.g., by compute components 231 in sensing circuitry150, as described herein). The controller 140 can be a state machine, asequencer, or some other type of controller. The controller 140 cancontrol shifting data (e.g., right or left) in a row of an array, e.g.,memory array 130.

Examples of the sensing circuitry 150 are described further below, e.g.,in FIGS. 2 and 3 . For instance, in a number of embodiments, the sensingcircuitry 150 can include a number of sense amplifiers and a number ofcompute components, which may serve as an accumulator and can be used toperform operations (e.g., on data associated with complementary senselines).

In a number of embodiments, the sensing circuitry 150 can be used toperform operations using data stored in memory array 130 as inputs andparticipate in movement of the data for writing and storage operationsback to a different location in the memory array 130 withouttransferring the data via a sense line address access (e.g., withoutfiring a column decode signal). As such, various compute functions canbe performed using, and within, sensing circuitry 150 rather than (or inassociation with) being performed by processing resources external tothe sensing circuitry 150 (e.g., by a processor associated with host 110and other processing circuitry, such as ALU circuitry, located on device120, such as on controller 140 or elsewhere).

In various previous approaches, data associated with an operand, forinstance, would be read from memory via sensing circuitry and providedto external ALU circuitry, e.g., in the host, via I/O lines (e.g., vialocal I/O lines and global I/O lines). The external ALU circuitry couldinclude a number of registers and would perform compute functions usingthe operands, and the result would be transferred back to the array viathe I/O lines. In contrast, in a number of embodiments of the presentdisclosure, sensing circuitry 150 is configured to perform operations ondata stored in memory array 130 and store the result back to the memoryarray 130 without enabling a local I/O line and global I/O line coupledto the sensing circuitry 150, e.g., for read and/or write operationsbased on host commands. In contrast, the data movement operationsdescribed herein utilize a cooperative interaction between the sensingcircuitry 150 and shared I/O lines 155 described herein. The sensingcircuitry 150 and the shared I/O lines 155 may be formed on chip withthe memory cells of the array (e.g., formed on the same chip as thememory cells in the array). Additional peripheral sense amplifier andlogic 170 can be coupled to the sensing circuitry 150. The sensingcircuitry 150 and the peripheral sense amplifier and logic 170 cancooperate in performing operations, according to some embodimentsdescribed herein.

As such, in a number of embodiments, circuitry external to memory array130 and sensing circuitry 150 is not needed to perform compute functionsas the sensing circuitry 150 can perform the appropriate operations inorder to perform such compute functions without the use of an externalprocessing resource. Therefore, the sensing circuitry 150 may be used tocomplement and to replace, at least to some extent, such an externalprocessing resource (or at least the bandwidth consumption of such anexternal processing resource).

In a number of embodiments, the sensing circuitry 150 may be used toperform operations (e.g., to execute instructions) in addition tooperations performed by an external processing resource (e.g., host110). For instance, either of the host 110 and the sensing circuitry 150may be limited to performing only certain operations and a certainnumber of operations.

Enabling a local I/O line and global I/O line, e.g., for read and/orwrite operations, can include enabling (e.g., turning on) a transistorhaving a gate coupled to a decode signal (e.g., a column decode 152signal) and a source/drain coupled to the local I/O line and/or globalI/O line. However, embodiments are not limited to not enabling a localI/O line and global I/O line. For instance, in a number of embodiments,the sensing circuitry 150 can be used to perform operations, such asdata movement, without enabling column decode lines 152 of the array.However, the local I/O line(s) and global I/O line(s) may be enabled inorder to transfer a result to a suitable location other than back to thememory array 130 (e.g., to an external register).

FIG. 1B is a block diagram of a bank section 123 to a memory device inaccordance with a number of embodiments of the present disclosure. Forexample, bank section 123 can represent an example section of a numberof bank sections to a bank of a memory device (e.g., bank section 0,bank section 1, . . . , bank section M). As shown in FIG. 1B, a bankarchitecture can include a plurality of memory columns 122 shownhorizontally as X (e.g., 16,384 columns in an example DRAM bank and banksection). Additionally, the bank section 123 may be divided intosubarray 0, subarray 1, . . . , and subarray N−1 (e.g., 128 subarrays)shown at 125-0, 125-1, . . . , 125-N−1, respectively, that are separatedby amplification regions configured to be coupled to a data path, e.g.,the shared I/O line described herein. As such, the subarrays 125-0,125-1, . . . , 125-N−1 can each have amplification regions shown 124-0,124-1, . . . , 124-N−1 that correspond to sensing component stripe 0,sensing component stripe 1, . . . , and sensing component stripe N−1,respectively.

Each column 122 is configured to be coupled to sensing circuitry 150, asdescribed in connection with FIG. 1A and elsewhere herein. As such, eachcolumn in a subarray can be coupled individually to a sense amplifierand compute component that contribute to a sensing component stripe forthat subarray. For example, as shown in FIG. 1B, the bank architecturecan include sensing component stripe 0, sensing component stripe 1, . .. , sensing component stripe N−1 that each have sensing circuitry 150with sense amplifiers and compute components that can, in variousembodiments, be used as registers, cache and data buffering and that arecoupled to each column 122 in the subarrays 125-0, 125-1, . . . ,125-N−1. The compute component within the sensing circuitry 150 coupledto the memory array 130, as shown in FIG. 1A, can complement the cache171 associated with the controller 140.

Each of the of the subarrays 125-0, 125-1, . . . , 125-N−1 can include aplurality of rows 119 shown vertically as Y (e.g., each subarray mayinclude 512 rows in an example DRAM bank). Example embodiments are notlimited to the example horizontal and vertical orientation of columnsand rows described herein or the example numbers thereof.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the bank architecture can be associated withcontroller 140. The controller 140 shown in FIG. 1B can, in variousexamples, represent at least a portion of the functionality embodied byand contained in the controller 140 shown in FIG. 1A. The controller 140can direct (e.g., control) input of control signals based on commandsand data 141 to the bank architecture and output of data from the bankarchitecture, e.g., to the host 110, along with control of data movementin the bank architecture, as described herein. The bank architecture caninclude a data bus 156 (e.g., a 64 bit wide data bus) to DRAM DQs, whichcan correspond to the data bus 156 described in connection with FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1C is a block diagram of a bank 121 to a memory device inaccordance with a number of embodiments of the present disclosure. Forexample, bank 121 can represent an example bank to a memory device(e.g., bank 0, bank 1, . . . , bank M). As shown in FIG. 1C, a bankarchitecture can include an address/control (A/C) path 153, e.g., a bus,coupled a controller 140. Again, the controller 140 shown in FIG. 1Ccan, in various examples, represent at least a portion of thefunctionality embodied by and contained in the controller 140 shown inFIGS. 1A and 1B.

As shown in FIG. 1C, a bank architecture can include a plurality of banksections, e.g., bank section 123, in a particular bank 121. As furthershown in FIG. 1C, a bank section 123 can be subdivided into a pluralityof subarrays (e.g., subarray 0, subarray 1, . . . , subarray N−1 shownat 125-1, 125-2, . . . , 125-N−1) respectively separated by sensingcomponent stripes 124-0, 124-1, . . . , 124-N−1, as shown in FIG. 1B,that include sensing circuitry and logic circuitry 150/170, as shown inFIG. 1A and described further in connection with FIGS. 2-5 .

As described herein, an I/O line can be selectably shared by a pluralityof partitions, subarrays, rows, and particular columns of memory cellsvia the sensing component stripe coupled to each of the subarrays. Forexample, the sense amplifier and/or compute component of each of aselectable subset of a number of columns (e.g., eight column subsets ofa total number of columns) can be selectably coupled to each of theplurality of shared I/O lines for data values stored (cached) in thesensing component stripe to be moved (e.g., transferred, transported,and/or fed) to each of the plurality of shared I/O lines. Because thesingular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” can include both singular and pluralreferents herein, “a shared I/O line” can be used to refer to “aplurality of shared I/O lines”, unless the context clearly dictatesotherwise. Moreover, “shared I/O lines” is an abbreviation of “pluralityof shared I/O lines”.

As shown schematically in FIG. 1C, an architecture of a bank 121 andeach section 123 of the bank can include a plurality of shared I/O lines155 (e.g., data path, bus) configured to couple to the plurality ofsubarrays 125-0, 125-1, . . . , 125-N−1 of memory cells of the banksection 123 and a plurality of banks (not shown). The shared I/O lines155 can be selectably coupled between subarrays, rows, and particularcolumns of memory cells via the sensing component stripes represented by124-0, 124-1, . . . , 124-N−1 shown in FIG. 1B. As noted, the sensingcomponent stripes 124-0, 124-1, . . . , 124-N−1 each include sensingcircuitry 150 with sense amplifiers and compute components configured tocouple to each column of memory cells in each subarray, as shown in FIG.1A and described further in connection with FIGS. 2-5 .

The shared I/O lines 155 can be utilized to increase a speed, rate, andefficiency of data movement in a PIM array, e.g., between subarrays. Inat least one embodiment, using the shared I/O lines 155 provides animproved data path by providing at least a thousand bit width. In oneembodiment, 2048 shared I/O lines are coupled to 16,384 columns toprovide a 2048 bit width. The illustrated shared I/O lines 155 can beformed on chip with the memory cells of the array.

In some embodiments, the controller 140 may be configured to provideinstructions (control signals based on commands) and data to a pluralityof locations of a particular bank 121 in the memory array 130 and to thesensing component stripes 124-0, 124-1, . . . , 124-N−1 via the sharedI/O lines 155 with control and data registers 151. For example, thecontrol and data registers 151 can provide instructions to be executedusing by the sense amplifiers and the compute components of the sensingcircuitry 150 in the sensing component stripes 124-0, 124-1, . . . ,124-N−1. FIG. 1C illustrates an instruction cache 171 associated withthe controller 140 and coupled to a write path 149 to each of thesubarrays 125-0, . . . , 125-N−1 in the bank 121.

Implementations of PIM DRAM architecture may perform processing at thesense amplifier and compute component level. Implementations of PIM DRAMarchitecture may allow only a finite number of memory cells to beconnected to each sense amplifier (e.g., around 512 memory cells). Asensing component stripe 124 may include from around 8,000 to around16,000 sense amplifiers. For example, a sensing component stripe 124 maybe configured to couple to an array of 512 rows and around 16,000columns. A sensing component stripe can be used as a building block toconstruct the larger memory. In an array for a memory device, there maybe 128 sensing component stripes, which corresponds to 128 subarrays, asdescribed herein. Hence, 512 rows times 128 sensing component stripeswould yield around 66,000 rows intersected by around 16,000 columns toform around a 1 gigabit DRAM.

As such, when processing at the sense amplifier level, there are only512 rows of memory cells available to perform logic functions with eachother and it may not be possible to easily perform logic functions onmultiple rows where data is coupled to different sensing componentstripes. To accomplish processing of data in different subarrays coupledto different sensing component stripes, all the data to be processed ismoved into the same subarray in order to be coupled to the same sensingcomponent stripe.

However, DRAM implementations have not been utilized to move data fromone sensing component stripe to another sensing component stripe. Asmentioned, a sensing component stripe can contain as many as 16,000sense amplifiers, which corresponds to around 16,000 columns or around16,000 data values, e.g., bits, of data to be stored, e.g., cached, fromeach row. A DRAM DQ data bus, e.g., as shown at 156 in FIGS. 1A-1B, maybe configured as a 64 bit part. As such, to transfer (move) the entiredata from a 16,000 bit row from one sensing component stripe to anothersensing component stripe using a DRAM DQ data bus would take, forinstance, 256 cycles, e.g., 16,000 divided by 64.

In order to achieve data movement conducted with a high speed, rate, andefficiency from one sensing component stripe to another in PIM DRAMimplementations, shared I/O lines 155 are described herein. For example,with 2048 shared I/O lines configured as a 2048 bit wide shared I/O line155, movement of data from a full row, as just described, would take 8cycles, a 32 times increase in the speed, rate, and efficiency of datamovement. As such, compared other PIM DRAM implementations (e.g.,relative to a 64 bit wide data path), utilization of the structures andprocesses described in the present disclosure saves time for datamovement. In various embodiments, time may be saved, for example, by nothaving to read data out of one bank, bank section, and subarray thereof,storing the data, and then writing the data in another location and/orby reducing the number of cycles for data movement.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating sensing circuitry 250 inaccordance with a number of embodiments of the present disclosure. Thesensing circuitry 250 can correspond to sensing circuitry 150 shown inFIG. 1A.

A memory cell can include a storage element (e.g., capacitor) and anaccess device (e.g., transistor). For instance, a first memory cell caninclude transistor 202-1 and capacitor 203-1, and a second memory cellcan include transistor 202-2 and capacitor 203-2, etc. In thisembodiment, the memory array 230 is a DRAM array of 1T1C (one transistorone capacitor) memory cells, although other embodiments ofconfigurations can be used (e.g., 2T2C with two transistors and twocapacitors per memory cell). In a number of embodiments, the memorycells may be destructive read memory cells (e.g., reading the datastored in the cell destroys the data such that the data originallystored in the cell is refreshed after being read).

The cells of the memory array 230 can be arranged in rows coupled byaccess (word) lines 204-X (Row X), 204-Y (Row Y), etc., and columnscoupled by pairs of complementary sense lines (e.g., digit linesDIGIT(D) and DIGIT(D) shown in FIG. 2 and DIGIT_0 and DIGIT 0* shown inFIGS. 3 and 4A-4B). The individual sense lines corresponding to eachpair of complementary sense lines can also be referred to as digit lines205-1 for DIGIT (D) and 205-2 for DIGIT (D)_, respectively, orcorresponding reference numbers in FIGS. 3 and 4A-4B. Although only onepair of complementary digit lines are shown in FIG. 2 , embodiments ofthe present disclosure are not so limited, and an array of memory cellscan include additional columns of memory cells and digit lines (e.g.,4,096, 8,192, 16,384, etc.).

Memory cells can be coupled to different digit lines and word lines. Forexample, a first source/drain region of a transistor 202-1 can becoupled to digit line 205-1 (D), a second source/drain region oftransistor 202-1 can be coupled to capacitor 203-1, and a gate of atransistor 202-1 can be coupled to word line 204-Y. A first source/drainregion of a transistor 202-2 can be coupled to digit line 205-2 (D)_, asecond source/drain region of transistor 202-2 can be coupled tocapacitor 203-2, and a gate of a transistor 202-2 can be coupled to wordline 204-X. A cell plate, as shown in FIG. 2 , can be coupled to each ofcapacitors 203-1 and 203-2. The cell plate can be a common node to whicha reference voltage (e.g., ground) can be applied in various memoryarray configurations.

The memory array 230 is configured to couple to sensing circuitry 250 inaccordance with a number of embodiments of the present disclosure. Inthis embodiment, the sensing circuitry 250 comprises a sense amplifier206 and a compute component 231 corresponding to respective columns ofmemory cells (e.g., coupled to respective pairs of complementary digitlines). The sense amplifier 206 can be coupled to the pair ofcomplementary digit lines 205-1 and 205-2. The compute component 231 canbe coupled to the sense amplifier 206 via pass gates 207-1 and 207-2.The gates of the pass gates 207-1 and 207-2 can be coupled to operationselection logic 213.

The operation selection logic 213 can be configured to include pass gatelogic for controlling pass gates that couple the pair of complementarydigit lines un-transposed between the sense amplifier 206 and thecompute component 231 and swap gate logic for controlling swap gatesthat couple the pair of complementary digit lines transposed between thesense amplifier 206 and the compute component 231. The operationselection logic 213 can also be coupled to the pair of complementarydigit lines 205-1 and 205-2. The operation selection logic 213 can beconfigured to control continuity of pass gates 207-1 and 207-2 based ona selected operation.

The sense amplifier 206 can be operated to determine a data value (e.g.,logic state) stored in a selected memory cell. The sense amplifier 206can comprise a cross coupled latch, which can be referred to herein as aprimary latch. In the example illustrated in FIG. 2 , the circuitrycorresponding to sense amplifier 206 comprises a latch 215 includingfour transistors coupled to a pair of complementary digit lines D 205-1and (D)_205-2. However, embodiments are not limited to this example. Thelatch 215 can be a cross coupled latch, e.g., gates of a pair oftransistors, such as n-channel transistors (e.g., NMOS transistors)227-1 and 227-2 are cross coupled with the gates of another pair oftransistors, such as p-channel transistors (e.g., PMOS transistors)229-1 and 229-2). The cross coupled latch 215 comprising transistors227-1, 227-2, 229-1, and 229-2 can be referred to as a primary latch.

In operation, when a memory cell is being sensed (e.g., read), thevoltage on one of the digit lines 205-1 (D) or 205-2 (D)_will beslightly greater than the voltage on the other one of digit lines 205-1(D) or 205-2 (D)_. An ACT signal and an RNL* signal can be driven low toenable (e.g., fire) the sense amplifier 206. The digit lines 205-1 (D)or 205-2 (D)_having the lower voltage will turn on one of the PMOStransistor 229-1 or 229-2 to a greater extent than the other of PMOStransistor 229-1 or 229-2, thereby driving high the digit line 205-1 (D)or 205-2 (D)_having the higher voltage to a greater extent than theother digit line 205-1 (D) or 205-2 (D)_is driven high.

Similarly, the digit line 205-1 (D) or 205-2 (D)_having the highervoltage will turn on one of the NMOS transistor 227-1 or 227-2 to agreater extent than the other of the NMOS transistor 227-1 or 227-2,thereby driving low the digit line 205-1 (D) or 205-2 (D)_having thelower voltage to a greater extent than the other digit line 205-1 (D) or205-2 (D)_is driven low. As a result, after a short delay, the digitline 205-1 (D) or 205-2 (D)_having the slightly greater voltage isdriven to the voltage of the supply voltage V_(CC) through a sourcetransistor, and the other digit line 205-1 (D) or 205-2 (D)_is driven tothe voltage of the reference voltage (e.g., ground) through a sinktransistor. Therefore, the cross coupled NMOS transistors 227-1 and227-2 and PMOS transistors 229-1 and 229-2 serve as a sense amplifierpair, which amplify the differential voltage on the digit lines 205-1(D) and 205-2 (D)_and operate to latch a data value sensed from theselected memory cell. As used herein, the cross coupled latch of senseamplifier 206 may be referred to as a primary latch 215.

Embodiments are not limited to the sense amplifier 206 configurationillustrated in FIG. 2 . As an example, the sense amplifier 206 can be acurrent-mode sense amplifier and a single-ended sense amplifier (e.g.,sense amplifier coupled to one digit line). Also, embodiments of thepresent disclosure are not limited to a folded digit line architecturesuch as that shown in FIG. 2 .

The sense amplifier 206 can, in conjunction with the compute component231, be operated to perform various operations using data from an arrayas input. In a number of embodiments, the result of an operation can bestored back to the array without transferring the data via a digit lineaddress access (e.g., without firing a column decode signal such thatdata is transferred to circuitry external from the array and sensingcircuitry via local I/O lines). As such, a number of embodiments of thepresent disclosure can enable performing operations and computefunctions associated therewith using less power than various previousapproaches. Additionally, since a number of embodiments eliminate theneed to transfer data across local and global I/O lines in order toperform compute functions (e.g., between memory and discrete processor),a number of embodiments can enable an increased (e.g., faster)processing capability as compared to previous approaches.

The sense amplifier 206 can further include equilibration circuitry 214,which can be configured to equilibrate the digit lines 205-1 (D) and205-2 (D)_. In this example, the equilibration circuitry 214 comprises atransistor 224 coupled between digit lines 205-1 (D) and 205-2 (D)_. Theequilibration circuitry 214 also comprises transistors 225-1 and 225-2each having a first source/drain region coupled to an equilibrationvoltage (e.g., V_(DD)/2), where V_(DD) is a supply voltage associatedwith the array. A second source/drain region of transistor 225-1 can becoupled digit line 205-1 (D), and a second source/drain region oftransistor 225-2 can be coupled digit line 205-2 (D)_. Gates oftransistors 224, 225-1, and 225-2 can be coupled together, and to anequilibration (EQ) control signal line 226. As such, activating EQenables the transistors 224, 225-1, and 225-2, which effectively shortsdigit lines 205-1 (D) and 205-2 (D)_ together and to the equilibrationvoltage (e.g., V_(CC)/2).

Although FIG. 2 shows sense amplifier 206 comprising the equilibrationcircuitry 214, embodiments are not so limited, and the equilibrationcircuitry 214 may be implemented discretely from the sense amplifier206, implemented in a different configuration than that shown in FIG. 2, or not implemented at all.

As described further below, in a number of embodiments, the sensingcircuitry 250 (e.g., sense amplifier 206 and compute component 231) canbe operated to perform a selected operation and initially store theresult in one of the sense amplifier 206 or the compute component 231without transferring data from the sensing circuitry via a local orglobal I/O line (e.g., without performing a sense line address accessvia activation of a column decode signal, for instance).

Performance of logical operations (e.g., Boolean logical functionsinvolving data values) is fundamental and commonly used. Boolean logicfunctions are used in many higher level functions. Consequently, speedand power efficiencies that can be realized with improved logicaloperations, can translate into speed and power efficiencies of higherorder functionalities.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the compute component 231 can also comprise alatch, which can be referred to herein as a secondary latch 264. Thesecondary latch 264 can be configured and operated in a manner similarto that described above with respect to the primary latch 215, with theexception that the pair of cross coupled p-channel transistors (e.g.,PMOS transistors) included in the secondary latch can have theirrespective sources coupled to a supply voltage (e.g., V_(DD)), and thepair of cross coupled n-channel transistors (e.g., NMOS transistors) ofthe secondary latch can have their respective sources selectivelycoupled to a reference voltage (e.g., ground), such that the secondarylatch is continuously enabled. The configuration of the computecomponent 231 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 2 , and various otherembodiments are feasible.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating circuitry for data movementto a memory device in accordance with a number of embodiments of thepresent disclosure. FIG. 3 shows, for example, eight sense amplifiers,e.g., sense amplifiers 0, 1, . . . , 7 shown at 306-0, 306-1, . . . ,306-7, respectively, each coupled to a pair of complementary senselines, e.g., digit lines 305-1 and 305-2. FIG. 3 also shows, forexample, eight compute components, e.g., compute components 0, 1, . . ., 7 shown at 331-0, 331-1, . . . , 331-7, each coupled to a senseamplifier, e.g., as shown for sense amplifier 0 306-0, via pass gatesand digit lines 307-1 and 307-2. For example, the pass gates can beconnected as shown in FIG. 2 and can be controlled by an operationselection signal, Pass. For example, an output of the selection logiccan be coupled to the gates of the pass gates and digit lines 307-1 and307-2. Corresponding pairs of the sense amplifiers and computecomponents can contribute to formation of the sensing circuitryindicated at 350-0, 350-1, . . . , 350-7.

Data values present on the pair of complementary digit lines 305-1 and305-2 can be loaded into the compute component 331-0 as described inconnection with FIG. 2 . For example, when the pass gates are open, datavalues on the pair of complementary digit lines 305-1 and 305-2 can bepassed from the sense amplifiers to the compute component, e.g., 306-0to 331-0. The data values on the pair of complementary digit lines 305-1and 305-2 can be the data value stored in the sense amplifier 306-0 whenthe sense amplifier is fired.

The sense amplifiers 306-0, 306-1, . . . , 306-7 in FIG. 3 can eachcorrespond to sense amplifier 206 shown in FIG. 2 . The computecomponents 331-0, 331-1, . . . , 331-7 shown in FIG. 3 can eachcorrespond to compute component 231 shown in FIG. 2 . A combination ofone sense amplifier with one compute component can contribute to thesensing circuitry, e.g., 350-0, 350-1, . . . , 350-7, of a portion of aDRAM memory subarray 325 configured to couple to a shared I/O line 355,as described herein. The paired combinations of the sense amplifiers306-0, 306-1, . . . , 306-7 and the compute components 331-0, 331-1, . .. , 331-7, shown in FIG. 3 , can be included in a sensing componentstripe, as shown at 124 in FIG. 1B and at 424 in FIGS. 4A and 4B.

The configurations of embodiments illustrated in FIG. 3 are shown forpurposes of clarity and are not limited to these configurations. Forinstance, the configuration illustrated in FIG. 3 for the senseamplifiers 306-0, 306-1, . . . , 306-7 in combination with the computecomponents 331-0, 331-1, . . . , 331-7 and the shared I/O line 355 isnot limited to half the combination of the sense amplifiers 306-0,306-1, . . . , 306-7 with the compute components 331-0, 331-1, . . . ,331-7 of the sensing circuitry being formed above the columns 322 ofmemory cells (not shown) and half being formed below the columns 322 ofmemory cells. Nor are the number of such combinations of the senseamplifiers with the compute components forming the sensing circuitryconfigured to couple to a shared I/O line limited to eight. In addition,the configuration of the shared I/O line 355 is not limited to beingsplit into two for separately coupling each of the two sets ofcomplementary digit lines 305-1 and 305-2, nor is the positioning of theshared I/O line 355 limited to being in the middle of the combination ofthe sense amplifiers and the compute components forming the sensingcircuitry, e.g., rather than being at either end of the combination ofthe sense amplifiers and the compute components.

The circuitry illustrated in FIG. 3 also shows column select circuitry358-1, 358-2 that is configured to implement data movement operations onparticular columns 322 of a subarray 325 and the complementary digitlines 305-1 and 305-2 thereof (e.g., as directed by the controller 140shown in FIGS. 1A-1C), coupling sensed data values to the shared I/Oline 355. For example, column select circuitry 358-1 has select lines 0,2, 4, and 6 that are configured to couple to corresponding columns, suchas column 0 (332-0), column 2, column 4, and column 6. Column selectcircuitry 358-2 has select lines 1, 3, 5, and 7 that are configured tocouple to corresponding columns, such as column 1, column 3, column 5,and column 7.

Controller 140 can be coupled to column select circuitry 358 to controlselect lines, e.g., select line 1, to access data values stored in thesense amplifiers, compute components and/or present on the pair ofcomplementary digit lines, e.g., 305-1 and 305-2 when selectiontransistors 359-1, 359-2 are enabled via signals from column select line0. Opening the selection transistors 359-1, 359-2 (e.g., as directed bythe controller 140) enables coupling of sense amplifier 0 306-0 andcompute component 0 331-0 to couple with complementary digit lines 305-1and 305-2 of column 0 (322-0) to move data values on digit line 0 anddigit line 0* for a particular row 319 stored in sense amplifier 306-0and/or compute component 331-0. Data values from rows in each of columns0 through 7 can similarly be selected by controller 140 coupling, via anappropriate select line, a particular combination of a sense amplifierand a compute component with a pair of complementary digit lines byopening the appropriate selection transistors.

Moreover, opening the selection transistors, e.g., selection transistors359-1, 359-2, enables a particular sense amplifier and/or computecomponent, e.g., 306-0 and/or 331-0, to be coupled with a shared I/Oline 355 such that the sensed (stored) data values can be placed on,e.g., transferred to, the shared I/O line 355. In some embodiments, onecolumn at a time is selected, e.g., column 0 322-0, to be coupled to aparticular shared I/O line 355 to move, e.g., transfer, the sensed datavalues. In the example configuration of FIG. 3 , the shared I/O line 355is illustrated as a shared, differential I/O line pair, e.g., shared I/Oline and shared I/O line*. Hence, selection of column 0 322-0 couldyield two data values (e.g., two bits with values of 0 and/or 1) from arow, e.g., 319, stored in the sense amplifier and/or compute componentassociated with complementary digit lines 305-1 and 305-2. These datavalues could be input in parallel to each of the shared, differentialI/O pair, shared I/O and shared I/O*, of the shared differential I/Oline 355.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a memorydevice, e.g., 120 in FIG. 1A, can be configured to couple to a host,e.g., 110, via a data bus, e.g., 156, and a control bus, e.g., 154. Abank section in the memory device, e.g., 123 in FIG. 1B, can include anarray of memory cells, e.g., 130 in FIG. 1A, and sensing circuitry,e.g., 150 in FIG. 1A, coupled to the array via a plurality of senselines, e.g., 205-1 and 205-2 in FIG. 2 and at corresponding referencenumbers in FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B. The sensing circuitry can include a senseamplifier and a compute component, e.g., 206 and 231, respectively, inFIG. 2 and at corresponding reference numbers in FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B,coupled to a sense line and configured to implement operations on pitchwith the memory cells of the array, as described herein. A controller,e.g., 140, in the memory device can be configured to couple to the arrayand sensing circuitry. A shared I/O line (e.g., 155 in FIG. 1C, 355 inFIG. 3, and 455-1 and 455 -M in FIGS. 4A and 4B) in the memory devicecan be configured to couple a source location, e.g., subarray 0 (425-0)in FIGS. 4A and 4B, to a destination location, e.g., subarray N−1(425-N−1) in FIGS. 4A and 4B, between a pair of bank section locations.

As described herein, the array of memory cells can include animplementation of DRAM memory cells where the controller is configured,in response to a command, to use DRAM logical and electrical interfacesto move data from the source location to the destination location via ashared I/O line. According to various embodiments, the source locationcan be in a first bank and the destination location can be in a secondbank in the memory device and the source location can be in a firstsubarray of one bank in the memory device and the destination locationcan be in a second subarray of the same bank. According to variousembodiments, the first subarray and the second subarray can be in thesame section of the bank or the subarrays can be in different sectionsof the bank.

According to various embodiments described herein, the apparatus can beconfigured to move data from a source location, including a particularrow (e.g., 319 in FIG. 3 ) and column address associated with a firstnumber of sense amplifier and compute component, e.g., 406-0 and 431-0,respectively, in subarray 0 (425-0), to a shared I/O line, e.g., 455-1.In addition, the apparatus can be configured to move the data to adestination location, including a particular row and column addressassociated with a second number of sense amplifier and computecomponent, e.g., 406-0 and 431-0, respectively, in subarray N−1(425-N−1), using the shared I/O line, e.g., 455-1. As the reader willappreciate, each shared I/O line, e.g., 455-1, can actually include acomplementary pair of shared I/O lines, e.g., shared I/O line and sharedI/O line* as shown in the example configuration of FIG. 3 . In someembodiments described herein, 2048 shared I/O lines, e.g., complementarypairs of shared I/O lines, can be configured as a 2048 bit wide sharedI/O line.

FIGS. 4A and 4B provide another schematic diagram illustrating circuitryfor data movement in a memory device in accordance with a number ofembodiments of the present disclosure. As illustrated in FIGS. 1B-1C andshown in more detail in FIGS. 4A and 4B, a bank section of a DRAM memorydevice can include a plurality of subarrays, which are indicated inFIGS. 4A and 4B at 425-0 as subarray 0 and at 425-N−1 as subarray N−1.

FIGS. 4A-4B, which are to be considered as horizontally connected,illustrate that each subarray, e.g., subarray 0 425-0 partly shown inFIG. 4A and partly shown in FIG. 4B, can have a number of associatedsense amplifiers 406-0, 406-1, . . . , 406-X-1 and compute components431-0, 431-1, . . . , 431-X−1. For example, each subarray, 425-0, . . ., 425-N−1, can have one or more associated sensing component stripes(e.g., 124-0, . . . , 124-N in FIG. 1B). According to embodimentsdescribed herein, each subarray, 425-0, . . . , 425-N−1, can be splitinto portions 462-1 (shown in FIG. 4A), 462-2, . . . , 462-M (shown inFIG. 4B). The portions 462-1, . . . , 462-M may be defined byconfiguring a predetermined number of the sense amplifiers and computecomponents (e.g., sensing circuitry 150), along with the correspondingcolumns, e.g., 422-0, 422-1, . . . , 422-7, among columns 422-0, . . . ,422-X−1 to a given shared I/O line, e.g., 455-M. Corresponding pairs ofthe sense amplifiers and compute components can contribute to formationof the sensing circuitry indicated at 450-0, 450-1, . . . , 450-X−1 inFIGS. 4A-4B.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B, the predeterminednumber of the sense amplifiers and compute components, along with thecorresponding columns, configured per shared I/O line, can be eight, forexample. The number of portions 462-1, 462-2, . . . , 462-M of thesubarray can be the same as the number of shared I/O lines 455-1, 455,2, . . . , 455-M configured to couple to the subarray. The subarrays canbe arranged according to various dynamic random access memory (DRAM)architectures for coupling shared I/O lines 455-1, 455, 2, . . . , 455-Mbetween subarrays 425-0, 425-1, . . . , 425-N−1.

For example, portion 462-1 of subarray 0 425-0 in FIG. 4A can correspondto the portion of the subarray illustrated in FIG. 3 . As such, senseamplifier 0 406-0 and compute component 0 431-0 can be coupled to column422-0. As described herein, a column can be configured to include a pairof complementary digit lines referred to as digit line 0 and digit line0*. However, alternative embodiments can include a single digit line405-0 (sense line) for a single column of memory cells. Embodiments arenot so limited.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1B-1C and shown in more detail in FIGS. 4A-4B, asensing component stripe can, in various embodiments, extend from oneend of a subarray to an opposite end of the subarray. For example, asshown for subarray 0 (425-0), sensing component stripe 0 (424-0, shownschematically above and below DRAM columns in a folded sense linearchitecture) can include and extend from sense amplifier 0 (406-0) andcompute component 0 (431-0) in portion 462-1 to sense amplifier X−1(406-X−1) and compute component X−1 (431-X−1) in portion 462-M ofsubarray 0 (425-0).

As described in connection with FIG. 3 , the configuration illustratedin FIGS. 4A-4B for the sense amplifiers 406-0, 406-1, . . . , 406-X−1 incombination with the compute components 431-0, 431-1, . . . , 431-X−1and shared I/O line 0 (455-1) through shared I/O line M−1 (455-M) is notlimited to half the combination of the sense amplifiers with the computecomponents of the sensing circuitry, e.g., 455, being formed above thecolumns of memory cells and half being formed below the columns ofmemory cells 422-0, 422-1, . . . , 422-X−1 in a folded DRAMarchitecture. For example, in various embodiments, a sensing componentstripe 424 for a particular subarray 425 can be formed with any numberof the sense amplifiers and compute components of the sensing amplifierstripe being formed above and below the columns of memory cells.Accordingly, in some embodiments as illustrated in FIGS. 1B-1C, all ofthe sense amplifiers and compute components of the sensing circuitry andcorresponding sensing amplifier stripes can be formed above or below thecolumns of memory cells.

As described in connection with FIG. 3 , each subarray can have columnselect circuitry, e.g., 358, that is configured to implement datamovement operations on particular columns 422 of a subarray, such assubarray 0 (425-0), and the complementary digit lines thereof, couplingstored data values from the sense amplifiers 406 and/or computecomponents 431 to given shared I/O lines 455-1, . . . , 455-M, e.g.,complementary shared I/O lines 355 in FIG. 3 . For example, thecontroller 140 can direct that data values of memory cells in aparticular row, e.g., row 319, of subarray 0 (425-0) be sensed and movedto a same or different numbered row of subarray N−1 (425-N−1) in a sameor different numbered column, e.g., different portion of the twosubarrays (e.g., not necessarily from portion 462-1 of subarray 0 toportion 462-1 of subarray N−1). For example, in some embodiments datavalues may be moved from a column in portion 462-1 to a column inportion 462-M using shifting techniques.

The column select circuitry, e.g., 358 in FIG. 3 , can direct movement,e.g., sequential movement, of each of, for example, the eight columns,e.g., digit/digit*, in the portion, e.g., 462-1, of the subarray, e.g.,425-0, for a particular row such that the sense amplifiers and computecomponents of the sensing component stripe, e.g., 424-0, for thatportion can store (cache) and move all data values to the shared I/Oline in a particular order, e.g., in an order in which the columns weresensed. With complementary digit lines, digit/digit*, and complementaryshared I/O lines 355, for each of eight columns, there can be 16 datavalues (e.g., bits) sequenced to the shared I/O line from one portion ofthe subarray such that one data value (e.g., bit) is input to each ofthe complementary shared I/O lines at a time from each of the senseamplifiers and compute components.

As such, with 2048 portions of subarrays each having eight columns(e.g., subarray portion 462-1 of each of subarrays 425-0, 425-1, . . . ,425-N−1), and each configured to couple to a different shared I/O line,e.g., 455-1 through 455-M, 2048 data values (e.g., bits) could be movedto the plurality of shared I/O lines at substantially the same point intime, e.g., in parallel. Accordingly, the present disclosure describesconfiguring the plurality of shared I/O lines to be at least a thousandbits wide (e.g., 2048 bits wide) to increase the speed, rate, andefficiency of data movement in a DRAM implementation (e.g., relative toa 64 bit wide data path).

As illustrated in FIGS. 4A-4B, in each subarray, e.g., subarray 0 425-0,one or more multiplexers 460-1, 460-2 can be coupled to the senseamplifiers and compute components of each portion 462-1, 462-2, . . . ,462-M of the sensing component stripe 424-0 for the subarray. Themultiplexers 460-1, 460-2 can be configured to access, select, receive,coordinate, combine, and transport the data values (e.g., bits) stored(cached) by the number of selected sense amplifiers and computecomponents in a portion (e.g., portion 462-1) of the subarray to beinput to the shared I/O line (e.g., shared I/O line 0 455-1). As such, ashared I/O line, as described herein, can be configured to couple asource location to a destination location between a pair of bank sectionlocations for improved data movement.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, acontroller, e.g., 140, can be coupled to a bank of a memory device,e.g., 121, to execute a command to move data in the bank from a sourcelocation, e.g., subarray 0 425-0, to a destination location, e.g.,subarray N−1 425-N−1. A bank section can, in various embodiments,include a plurality of subarrays of memory cells in the bank section,e.g., subarrays 125-0 through 125-N−1 and 425-0 through 425-N−1. Thebank section can, in various embodiments, further include sensingcircuitry, e.g., 150, coupled to the plurality of subarrays via aplurality of columns, e.g., 322-0 and 422-0 and 422-1, of the memorycells. The sensing circuitry can include a sense amplifier and a computecomponent, e.g., 206 and 231, respectively, in FIG. 2 and atcorresponding reference numbers in FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B, coupled to eachof the columns and configured to implement the command to move the data.

The bank section can, in various embodiments, further include a sharedI/O line, e.g., 155, 355, and 455-1 and 455-M, to couple the sourcelocation and the destination location to move the data. In addition, thecontroller can be configured to couple to the plurality of subarrays andto the sensing circuitry to perform a data write operation on the moveddata to the destination location, e.g., in the bank section.

As such, the controller 140 can be configured to direct writing of thedata, moved via the shared I/O lines, to particular memory cells in thedestination location, e.g., to memory cells in a particular row of asubarray. Performing a data write operation as such on the moved datacan be in addition to the alternative pathway, e.g., as shown in FIG.1A, of the controller 140 being configured to direct writing of data tothe memory array 130, where the data is transferred from the host 110over the data bus 156 (e.g., a 64 bit wide data bus) via the I/Ocircuitry 144 and the write circuitry 148.

According to various embodiments, the apparatus can include a sensingcomponent stripe, e.g., 124 and 424, configured to include a number of aplurality of sense amplifiers and compute components that corresponds toa number of the plurality of columns of the memory cells, e.g., whereeach column of memory cells is configured to couple to a sense amplifierand a compute component. The number of a plurality of sensing componentstripes in the bank section, e.g., 424-0 through 424-N−1, can correspondto a number of a plurality of subarrays in the bank section, e.g., 425-0through 425-N−1.

The number of sense amplifiers and compute components can be configuredto be selectably, e.g., sequentially, coupled to the shared I/O line,e.g., as shown by column select circuitry at 358-1, 358-2, 359-1, and359-2 in FIG. 3 . The column select circuitry can be configured toselectably sense data in a particular column of memory cells of asubarray by being selectably coupled to, for example, eight senseamplifiers and compute components in the source location, e.g., as shownin subarray 325 in FIG. 3 and subarray portions 462-1 through 462-M inFIGS. 4A-4B. As such, the eight sense amplifiers and compute componentsin the source location can be configured to sequentially couple to theshared I/O line. According to the embodiments described herein, a numberof shared I/O lines formed in the array can be configured by division ofa number of columns in the array by, for example, the eight senseamplifiers and compute components coupled to each of the shared I/Olines. For example, when there are 16,384 columns in the array (e.g.,bank section), or in each subarray thereof, and one sense amplifier andcompute component per column, 16,384 columns divided by eight yields2048 shared I/O lines.

The apparatus can, in various embodiments, include a number ofmultiplexers, e.g., as shown at 460-1 and 460-2 in portions 462-1through 462-M of various subarrays in FIGS. 4A-4B. As such, according tovarious embodiments, the apparatus can include a plurality of senseamplifiers and compute components and a multiplexer to select a senseamplifier and a compute component to couple to the shared I/O line. Themultiplexers can be formed between the sense amplifiers and computecomponents and the shared I/O line to access, select, receive,coordinate, combine, and transport selected data to be input to thecoupled shared I/O line.

According to various embodiments described herein, an array of memorycells can include a column of memory cells having a pair ofcomplementary sense (digit) lines, e.g., 305-1 and 305-2 in FIG. 3 . Thesensing circuitry can, in some embodiments, include a sense amplifier,e.g., 306-0, selectably coupled to each of the pair of complementarysense (digit) lines and a compute component, e.g., 331-0, coupled to thesense amplifier via pass gates, e.g., 307-1, 307-2.

According to some embodiments, a source sensing component stripe, e.g.,124 and 424, can include a number of sense amplifiers and computecomponents that can be selected and configured to send an amount ofdata, e.g., a number of bits, sensed from a row of the source locationin parallel to a plurality of shared I/O lines. For example, in responseto control signals for sequential sensing through the column selectcircuitry, the memory cells of selected columns of a row of the subarraycan sense and store (cache) an amount of data, e.g., the number of bits,until that amount reaches a threshold and then send the data via theplurality of shared I/O lines. In some embodiments, the threshold amountof data can correspond to the at least a thousand bit width of theplurality of shared I/O lines.

In some embodiments, the source sensing component stripe can include anumber of sense amplifiers and compute components that can be selectedand configured to store data, e.g., bits, sensed from a row of thesource location when an amount of sensed data, e.g., the number of databits, exceeds the at least a thousand bit width of the plurality ofshared I/O lines. In this embodiment, the source sensing componentstripe can be configured to send the data sensed from the row of thesource location when coupled to the plurality of shared I/O lines as aplurality of subsets. For example, the amount of at least a first subsetof the data can correspond to the at least a thousand bit width of theplurality of shared I/O lines.

The controller can, as described herein, be configured to move the datafrom a selected row and a selected sense line in the source location toa selected row and a selected sense line in the destination location viathe shared I/O line, e.g., in response to control signals from thecontroller 140. According to various embodiments, a selected row and aselected sense line in the source location (e.g., a first subarray)input to the controller can be different from a selected row and aselected sense line in the destination location (e.g., a secondsubarray).

As described herein, a location of the data in memory cells of theselected row and the selected sense line in a source subarray can bedifferent from a location of the data moved to memory cells of aselected row and the selected source line in a destination subarray. Forexample, the source location may be a particular row and digit lines ofportion 462-1 of subarray 0 425-0 in FIG. 4A and the destination may bea different row and digit lines of portion 462-M in subarray N−1 425-N−1in FIG. 4B.

According to embodiments herein, a destination sensing component stripe,e.g., 124 and 424, can be the same as a source sensing component stripe.For example, a plurality of sense amplifiers and compute components canbe selected and configured, e.g., depending on the control signal fromthe controller, to selectably send sensed data to the coupled shared I/Oline and selectably receive the data from one of a plurality of coupledshared I/O lines, e.g., to be moved to the destination location.Selection of sense amplifiers and compute components in the destinationsensing component stripe can be performed using the column selectcircuitry described herein, e.g., 358-1, 358-2, 359-1, and 359-2 in FIG.3 .

The controller can, according to some embodiments, be configured towrite an amount of data, e.g., a number of data bits, selectablyreceived by the plurality of selected sense amplifiers and computecomponents in the destination sensing component stripe to a selected rowand a selected sense line of the destination location in the destinationsubarray. In some embodiments, the amount of data to write correspondsto the at least a thousand bit width of a plurality of shared I/O lines.

The destination sensing component stripe can, according to someembodiments, include a plurality of selected sense amplifiers andcompute components configured to store received data, e.g., bits, whenan amount of received data, e.g., number of data bits, exceeds the atleast a thousand bit width of the plurality of shared I/O lines. Thecontroller can, according to some embodiments, be configured to writethe stored data, e.g., the number of data bits, to a selected row and aplurality of selected sense lines in the destination location as aplurality of subsets. In some embodiments, the amount of data of atleast a first subset of the written data can correspond to the at leasta thousand bit width of the plurality of shared I/O lines. According tosome embodiments, the controller can be configured to write the storeddata, e.g., the number of data bits, to the selected row and theselected sense line in the destination location as a single set, e.g.,not as subsets of data.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method to increase aspeed, rate, and efficiency of data movement in a PIM array by using animproved data path, e.g., a shared I/O line of a DRAM implementation.According to various embodiments as described herein, a source locationand a destination location in a pair of bank locations in a memorydevice can be configured to couple via a plurality of shared I/O lines.A bank in the memory device can, as described herein, include an arrayof memory cells, sensing circuitry coupled to the array via a pluralityof sense lines, the sensing circuitry including sense amplifiers andcompute components configured to implement operations, and a controllercoupled to the array and the sensing circuitry.

The method can include receiving a control signal from the controller tomove data from the source location to the destination location, e.g., ofa DRAM array of the memory cells. The method can further include movingthe data from the source location to the destination location, e.g., ofthe DRAM array, using the sense amplifiers and compute components viathe plurality of shared I/O lines.

In some embodiments, the method can include configuring 2048 shared I/Olines as a 2048 bit wide shared I/O line. According to some embodiments,a number of cycles for moving the data from a first row in the sourcelocation to a second row in the destination location can be configuredby dividing a number of columns in the array intersected by a row ofmemory cells in the array by the 2048 bit width of the plurality ofshared I/O lines. For example, an array, e.g., a bank, a bank section,and a subarray thereof, can have 16,384 columns, which can correspond to16,384 data values in a row, which when divided by the 2048 bit width ofthe plurality of shared I/O lines intersecting the row can yield eightcycles, each separate cycle being at substantially the same point intime, e.g., in parallel, for movement of all the data in the row.Alternatively or in addition, a bandwidth for moving the data from afirst row in the source location to a second row in the destinationlocation can be configuring by dividing the number of columns in thearray intersected by the row of memory cells in the array by the 2048bit width of the plurality of shared I/O lines and multiplying theresult by a clock rate of the controller. In some embodiments,determining a number of data values in a row of the array can be basedupon the plurality of sense (digit) lines in the array.

A source location in a first subarray of memory cells can be configuredto couple via a plurality of shared I/O lines to a destination locationin a second subarray of memory cells, where the plurality of shared I/Olines can be configured as at least a thousand bit wide shared I/O line.The method can include configuring a first sensing component stripe,e.g., 424-0, for the first subarray, e.g., 425-0, and second sensingcomponent stripe, e.g., 424-N−1, for second subarray, e.g., 425-N−1, toinclude a sense amplifier and a compute component, e.g., 406-0 and431-0, respectively, coupled to each corresponding column of memorycells in the first and second subarrays, e.g., 422-0 through 422-X−1. Acontroller can be configured to couple to the memory cells of the firstand second subarrays and the first and second sensing component stripes,e.g., via the column select circuitry 358-1, 358-2, 359-1, and 359-2.

The method can include moving the data from the source location in thefirst subarray via the plurality of shared I/O lines to the destinationlocation in the second subarray using the first sensing component stripefor the first subarray and the second sensing component stripe for thesecond subarray. The first amplifier stripe for the first subarray andthe second sensing component stripe for the second subarray can,accordingly to various embodiment, be configured to couple to theplurality of shared I/O lines, e.g., via the column select circuitry358-1, 358-2, 359-1, and 359-2 in FIG. 3 and the multiplexers 460-1 and460-2 in FIGS. 4A-4B.

According to some embodiments, the source location in the first subarrayand the destination location in the second subarray can be in a singlebank section of a memory device, e.g., as shown in FIGS. 1B-1C and FIGS.4A-4B. Alternatively or in addition, the source location in the firstsubarray and the destination location in the second subarray can be inseparate banks and bank sections of the memory device coupled to aplurality of shared I/O lines. In some embodiments, movement of databetween two separate banks can include a number of intermediateregisters (not shown) coupled to the plurality of shared I/O linesbetween the two banks in order to temporarily hold, e.g., to performcache and/or data buffering functions, the moved data. Temporarilyholding the moved data as such may resolve timing issues, e.g., withcontrol signals, synchronization of data movement, etc., with movementof the data between the two banks using the shared I/O lines. As such,the method can include moving the data, e.g., in parallel, from thefirst sensing component stripe for the first subarray via the pluralityof shared I/O lines to the second sensing component stripe for thesecond subarray.

The method can, according to various embodiments, include configuring asensing component stripe, e.g., all sensing component stripes 424-0through 424-N−1, in each of a plurality of subarrays, e.g., subarrays425-0 through 425-N−1, to couple to the plurality of shared I/O lines,e.g., shared I/O line 455-1. In some embodiments, the method can includecoupling only one of a plurality, e.g., two, four, eight, sixteen, etc.,including odd numbers, of columns of complementary sense lines at a timein the first subarray to one of the plurality of shared I/O lines usingthe first sensing component stripe, e.g., sensing component stripe424-0, and coupling only one of a plurality, e.g., two, four, eight,sixteen, etc., including odd numbers, of columns of complementary senselines at a time in the second subarray to one of the plurality of sharedI/O lines using the second sensing component stripe, e.g., sensingcomponent stripes 424-N−1.

The method can include moving the data from a number of sense amplifiersand compute components of the first sensing component stripe via theplurality of shared I/O lines to a corresponding number of senseamplifiers and compute components of the second sensing componentstripe. For example, the data sensed from each sense amplifier andcompute component of the source location can be moved to a correspondingsense amplifier and compute component in the destination location.

According to various embodiments, the method can include the controllerselecting, e.g., opening, a first row of memory cells, which correspondsto the source location, for the first sensing component stripe to sensedata stored therein, coupling, e.g., opening, the plurality of sharedI/O lines to the first sensing component stripe, and coupling, e.g.,opening, the second sensing component stripe to the plurality of sharedI/O lines, e.g., via the column select circuitry 358-1, 358-2, 359-1,and 359-2 and the multiplexers 460-1 and 460-2. As such, the method caninclude moving the data in parallel from the first sensing componentstripe to the second sensing component stripe via the plurality ofshared I/O lines. The method can include the first sensing componentstripe storing, e.g., caching, the sensed data and the second sensingcomponent stripe storing, e.g., caching, the moved data.

The method can include the controller selecting, e.g., opening, a secondrow of memory cells, which corresponds to the destination location, forthe second sensing component stripe, e.g., via the column selectcircuitry 358-1, 358-2, 359-1, and 359-2 and the multiplexers 460-1 and460-2. The controller can then direct writing the data moved to thesecond sensing component stripe to the destination location in thesecond row of memory cells.

In a DRAM implementation, a shared I/O line can be used as a data pathto move data in the memory cell array between various locations, e.g.,subarrays, in the array. The shared I/O line can be shared between allsensing component stripes. In various embodiments, one sensing componentstripe or one pair of sensing component stripes, e.g., coupling a sourcelocation and a destination location, can communicate with the shared I/Oline at any given time. The shared I/O line is used to accomplish movingthe data from one sensing component stripe to the other sensingcomponent stripe. A row in the first sensing component stripe can beopened and the data values of the memory cells in the row can be sensed.After sensing, the first sensing component stripe can be opened to theshared I/O line, along with opening the second sensing component stripeto the same shared I/O line. The second sensing component stripe canstill be in a pre-charge state, e.g., ready to accept data. After thedata from the first sensing component stripe has been moved, e.g.,driven, into the second sensing component stripe, the second sensingcomponent stripe can fire, e.g., latch, the data into respective senseamplifiers and compute components. A row coupled to the second sensingcomponent stripe can be opened, e.g., after latching the data, and thedata that resides in the sense amplifiers and compute components can bewritten into the destination location of that row.

FIG. 5 illustrates a timing diagram 572 associated with performing anumber of data movement operations using circuitry in accordance with anumber of embodiments of the present disclosure. The timing diagram 572schematically illustrated in FIG. 5 is shown as an example of a sequenceof signals in circuitry to enable movement of data, as described herein.A time scale 575 horizontally demarcated in signaling units (t₀, t₁, t₂,. . . , t₁₃) of arbitrary length is shown by way of example.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, acontroller, e.g., 140 in FIGS. 1A-1C, can be configured to couple to oneor more banks and bank sections of a memory device, e.g., 121/123 inFIGS. 1B-1C, to execute a command to move data from a source subarray,e.g., a source subarray 425-0 and 525-0, to a destination subarray,e.g., a destination subarray 425-N−1 and 525-N−1.

As such, at t₁ the controller can provide a signal to enable apre-charge of the source sensing component stripe 576 of the sourcesubarray 525-0 to be driven low to enable, e.g., fire, the sourcesensing component stripe to read and store sensed data. A signal can beinput at t₂ to the selected source row 577 to enable a read (sense) ofthe data values in the memory cells of the row by the row being drivento high. A signal can be input at t₃ to the sense circuitry 578, e.g.,sense amplifiers and compute components, associated with the sourcesensing component stripe to enable sensing of the data values in thememory cells of the row by the sense circuitry being driven to high. Asignal can be input at t₄ to the selected source columns 579 to enable aread (sense) of the data values in the memory cells of the selectedsource columns of the row by the columns being driven to high.

According to various embodiments, at t₃ the controller can provide asignal to enable a pre-charge of a number of shared I/O lines 581 tocouple a number of shared I/O lines with the source sensing componentstripe of the source subarray by being driven low. Between around t₄through t₅, the sensed data can be conducted through the number ofshared I/O lines 580 so as to be accessible by components of thedestination subarray 525-N−1. For example, as described herein, the datafrom sequentially selected columns, e.g., columns 1 through 8,configured to be coupled to each of the number of shared I/O lines canbe sequentially sent through the coupled number of shared I/O linesduring the time period from around t₄ through t₅. In some embodiments,as shown at 580, the data conducted through the number of shared I/Olines can include data sensed from complementary sense lines.

The controller can provide a signal at t₃ to enable a pre-charge of thedestination sensing component stripe 582 of the destination subarray525-N−1 to be driven low to enable, e.g., fire, the destination sensingcomponent stripe to receive and store moved data by being coupled to thenumber of shared I/O lines 580. A signal can be input at t₄ to theselected destination columns 585 to enable movement of the data valuesto the sense circuitry 584, e.g., sense amplifiers and computecomponents, associated with the destination sensing component stripe forthe selected columns by the selected destination columns being driven tohigh. A signal can be input at is to latch the data moved to thedestination sensing component stripe to be stored in the sense circuitry584, e.g., sense amplifiers and compute components, associated with thesource sensing component stripe by the sense circuitry being driven tohigh. A signal can be input at t₆ to the selected destination row 583 toenable the data stored in the sense circuitry to be moved and written toselected memory cells thereof by being driven to high.

Various time frames can be implemented for signal conduction pathways toremain enabled, e.g., opened, before a signal is provided to disable,e.g., close, the signal conduction pathways. According to someembodiments, the data stored in the sense circuitry 584, e.g., senseamplifiers and compute components, by the sense circuitry being drivento high at t₅ can remain accessible to the selected destination row 583until a signal is input at t₁₁ to disable the signal conduction pathwayby being driven to low. As such, the signal conduction pathway for thesense circuitry 584 can be open from t₅ through t₁₁, which encompassesthe time frame from t₆ through t₁₀ during which the signal conductionpathway for the selected destination row is open.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a source rowof a source subarray, e.g., any one of 512 rows, can be different from,e.g., need not match, a destination row of a destination subarray, wherethe source and destination subarrays can, in various embodiments, be inthe same or different banks and bank sections of memory cells. Moreover,a selected source column, e.g., any one of eight configured to becoupled to a particular shared I/O line, can be different from, e.g.,need not match, a selected destination column of a destination subarray.

While example embodiments including various combinations andconfigurations of sensing circuitry, sense amplifiers, computecomponents, sensing component stripes, shared I/O lines, column selectcircuitry, multiplexers, signal timing sequences, etc., have beenillustrated and described herein, embodiments of the present disclosureare not limited to those combinations explicitly recited herein. Othercombinations and configurations of the sensing circuitry, senseamplifiers, compute components, sensing component stripes, shared I/Olines, column select circuitry, multiplexers, signal timing sequences,etc., disclosed herein are expressly included within the scope of thisdisclosure.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that anarrangement calculated to achieve the same results can be substitutedfor the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to coveradaptations or variations of one or more embodiments of the presentdisclosure. It is to be understood that the above description has beenmade in an illustrative fashion, and not a restrictive one. Combinationof the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specificallydescribed herein will be apparent to those of skill in the art uponreviewing the above description. The scope of the one or moreembodiments of the present disclosure includes other applications inwhich the above structures and processes are used. Therefore, the scopeof one or more embodiments of the present disclosure should bedetermined with reference to the appended claims, along with the fullrange of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

In the foregoing Detailed Description, some features are groupedtogether in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining thedisclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted asreflecting an intention that the disclosed embodiments of the presentdisclosure have to use more features than are expressly recited in eachclaim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matterlies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus,the following claims are hereby incorporated into the DetailedDescription, with each claim standing on its own as a separateembodiment.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for operating a memory device,comprising: receiving control signals that direct movement of data froma source location to a destination location in the memory device; andcoupling the source location and the destination location via aplurality of I/O lines shared by the source location and the destinationlocation; wherein the memory device comprises: an array of memory cells;and sensing circuitry coupled to the array via a plurality of senselines and configured to implement operations; and moving the data fromthe source location to the destination location using the sensingcircuitry, via the plurality of I/O lines, wherein a bandwidth isconfigured for moving the data from a first row in the source locationto a second row in the destination location by: dividing a number ofcolumns in the array by at least a thousand bit width of the pluralityof I/O lines; and multiplying the result by a clock rate of a controllercoupled to the array and the sensing circuitry.
 2. The method of claim1, wherein the method further comprises: receiving the control signalsto move the data from the source location to the destination location ofan array; and moving the data from the source location to thedestination location.
 3. An apparatus, comprising: a first amplificationregion for a first subarray of memory cells; a second amplificationregion for a second subarray of the memory cells, wherein the secondamplification region is coupled to the first amplification region via aplurality of I/O lines; a source location in the first subarray; adestination location in the second subarray, wherein: data is moved fromthe source location to the destination location via the plurality of I/Olines using the first amplification region and the second amplificationregion; the plurality of I/O lines is configured to be shared by thefirst amplification region and the second amplification region; and thefirst and second amplification regions include a sense amplifier coupledto each corresponding column of memory cells in the first and secondsubarrays.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first amplificationregion and the second amplification region are coupled to the pluralityof I/O lines.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a source row of thefirst subarray is a different row than a destination row of secondsubarray.
 6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first amplificationregion is a first sense amplifier stripe and the second amplificationregion is a second sense amplifier stripe.
 7. The apparatus of claim 3,wherein the plurality of I/O lines is a shared, differential I/O linepair.
 8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a first half of senseamplifiers of a subarray of memory cells is formed above correspondingcolumns of memory cells and a second half of the sense amplifiers of thesubarray of memory cells is formed below the corresponding columns ofmemory cells.
 9. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein every sense amplifierof the subarray of memory cells is formed above the correspondingcolumns of memory cells.
 10. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein everysense amplifier of the subarray of memory cells is formed below thecorresponding columns of memory cells.
 11. The method of claim 3,wherein the data is moved from the first amplification region via theplurality of I/O lines to the second amplification region.
 12. Theapparatus of claim 3, wherein the plurality of I/O lines couple thesource location to the destination location between a pair of banksection locations.
 13. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the data ismoved from a number of sense amplifiers of the first amplificationregion via the plurality of I/O lines to a corresponding number of senseamplifiers of the second amplification region.
 14. An apparatus,comprising: an array of memory cells; sensing circuitry coupled to thearray via a plurality of sense lines and configured to implementoperations; a plurality of I/O lines selectably shared by a sourcelocation and a destination location; a controller coupled to the arrayand the sensing circuitry and configured to: receive control signals todirect movement of data from the source location to the destinationlocation; direct coupling of the source location and the destinationlocation via the plurality of I/O lines; and direct movement of thedata, via the plurality of I/O lines, from the source location to thedestination location using the sensing circuitry; and the controllerfurther configured to: select a first row of memory cells, whichcorresponds to the source location, for the first sensing componentstripe to sense data stored therein; direct coupling of the plurality ofI/O lines to the first amplification region; direct coupling of thesecond amplification region to the plurality of I/O lines; and directmovement of the data in parallel from the first amplification region tothe second amplification region via the plurality of I/O lines.
 15. Theapparatus of claim 14, wherein: the array is a dynamic random accessmemory (DRAM) array; the control signals are received to move the datafrom the source location to the destination location of the DRAM; andthe controller directs the movement of the data from the source locationto the destination location of the DRAM array.
 16. The apparatus ofclaim 14, wherein: the first amplification region stores the senseddata; and the second amplification region stores the moved data.
 17. Theapparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to:select a second row of memory cells, which corresponds to thedestination location, for the second amplification region; and directthe data moved to the second amplification region to be written to thedestination location in the second row of memory cells.
 18. Anapparatus, comprising: an array of memory cells; sensing circuitrycoupled to the array via a plurality of sense lines and configured toimplement operations; a plurality of I/O lines selectably shared by asource location and a destination location; a controller coupled to thearray and the sensing circuitry and configured to: receive controlsignals to direct movement of data from the source location to thedestination location; direct coupling of the source location and thedestination location via the plurality of I/O lines; and direct movementof the data, via the plurality of I/O lines, from the source location tothe destination location using the sensing circuitry; a firstamplification region for a first subarray of memory cells configured tobe coupled, via the plurality of I/O lines as directed by thecontroller, to a second amplification region for a second subarray ofmemory cells; the first and second amplification regions include a senseamplifier coupled to each corresponding column of memory cells in thefirst and second subarrays; and the controller is further configured todirect movement of the data from the source location in the firstsubarray, via the plurality of I/O lines, to the destination location inthe second subarray using the first amplification region for the firstsubarray and the second amplification region for the second subarray;wherein the plurality of I/O lines is configured to be shared by thefirst amplification region and the second amplification region as atleast a thousand bit wide I/O line.